MOSCOW, May 16. /TASS/. The Russian Union of Travel Industry has seen an increase in the sale of tours to Turkey after prices to the destination fell by as much as 30%, according to a statement published by the Union on Tuesday.
"The demand for tours to Turkey in the summer and during the May holidays was much lower than travel agencies’ expectations in 2023 due to a sharp rise in prices. However, now, after the cost of accommodation at Turkish hotels decreased by 15-30%, sales in this direction have been on the rise," the statement reads.
Prices for tours in Turkey remained high throughout April, though after the May holidays prices started to decline, CEO of a travel chain and head of the Union’s agency committee Sergey Agafonov noted. "Now we are seeing a decrease of roughly 30% on average on the market and even more in certain areas. As a result, the demand has intensified, though the bookings are still not made very far in advance, a week at the most," he was quoted as saying.
Prices have gone down and are now affordable, Agafonov said, adding that prices for premium hotels have fallen by an average of 15%, whereas prices for budget hotels have plunged by 30-40%.